By CC Correspondent
Dogsee Chew, a natural pet food brand, based in Bengaluru and founded by husband–wife duo, Bhupendra Khanal and Sneh Sharma, made an overwhelming announcement last week on Wednesday. It stepped up the ladder by securing $7 million in pre-series A funding round Sixth Sense Ventures.
Expressing their joy, the Co-founders said, “We are very excited about Sixth Sense Ventures coming onboard. We look forward to leveraging their expertise in the consumer space as we work to better the quality of life for pets. Pet parents are looking for healthy food and treat options, and we are committed to delivering it with our rich expertise and research-oriented approach. This investment from Sixth Sense is a validation of our work so far, and we are looking to expand and grow exponentially in the years to come.”
Speaking on the investment, Nikhil Vora, CEO, Sixth Sense Ventures, said, “Globally, petfoods is much larger than most FMCG categories like oral care and baby foods. The Indian pet food market is at a nascent stage as compared to global markets, with a potential to be 10X of its current size. Dogsee has picked a clear white space with its natural (veg) chews and pet treats as a natural replacement for hide-based chews. We like Dogsee’s approach of establishing its presence in the developed markets while tapping into the India opportunity.”
Dogsee Chew produces 100 percent vegetarian hard cheese dog chews and has 30+ SKUs and a sales volume of over 100 tonnes per month. This achievement will surely prove to be a new chapter in its journey to success. As per reports, it will utilize the funds to expand its footprint in India and other developed markets and accelerate new product development and manufacturing. Currently, the brand is present in 5,000+ retail stores across 30 countries and in three of the world’s top 20 retail chains. It also employs an estimated 10,000 farmers — the majority of whom are from remote hilly terrains with limited employment options.
We all know how during Covid-19 pandemic, the need for companionship with limited social engagements accelerated pet adoption. Research and Markets suggests an expected rise in the global pet treats market to $75 billion by 2027, out of which dog treats alone will account for $60 billion, growing at a CAGR of about 20 percent over 2020–2027. While making the announcement of fund raising, the husband–wife duo took an opportunity to acknowledge the growth prospective of pet food industry by saying, “The pet food industry presents a huge potential in India, with pet parents increasingly looking for healthy and organic dietary options. We believe that increased awareness about healthy options will only help grow the category.”
All in all, we can say that, with this news, Dogsee Chew represents a positive example of strong leadership and strategic passion for developing a business.